HS2 Aesthetic Overhead Line Electrification Structures

A warm welcome to the team from COBE and Krabbenhøft & Ingolfsson (Denmark) to see the first Tomahawk structure. The Tomahawk (designed by COBE) is one of the finalists in the Future Rail - Aesthetic Overhead Line Structures competition for HS2.

Allied Insulators worked with COBE and the structural engineers Krabbenhøft & Ingolfsson to develop and manufacture the concept into a fully working prototype. Additionally Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd have also played a key part in this development with the supply of the cast central node. The prototype is currently installed at our factory in Tunstall and will be heading to the Rail Technology Centre for extensive mechanical testing shortly.

The importance of aesthetic design can be a major factor for the public acceptance of such national infrastructure projects. It’s vital that as an industry we embrace new technologies and materials for these designs that not only look better but offer greater performance and reliability too. We now hope to develop the family of electrification structures and create a real opportunity for us to be successful on the actual HS2 project and other rail applications that demand such an innovative approach.